Al Groh hasn’t ordered his players not to use the “P” word, he’d just prefer they not think too much about it.

For Groh’s Jets, the playoffs are essentially a win away. The Jets will know before their Sunday night game begins in Oakland, whether it’s a win-and-we’re-in scenario. They, too, will know if they’re playing for a tie for the AFC East lead.

Earlier in the day the Giants will have played the Steelers (a Giants’ win or tie coupled with a Jets’ win and the Jets clinch a post-season berth) and the Dolphins will have played the Buccaneers (a Miami loss coupled with a Jets’ win and the Jets and Dolphins will be tied at 10-4 with the Jets owning the tiebreaker edge having swept the Dolphins).

Groh, though, doesn’t want all of those scenarios to be floating in his players’ heads as they take the field against the Raiders, because he views them as distractions.

Asked yesterday if he’s uttered the word “playoffs” to his team as a motivational carrot this week, Groh said, “To my complete knowledge, no I have not used [the “P” word. The players] aren’t talking to me about it and I’m not talking to them about it.”

Groh said he learned a lesson about thinking too much about the potential fruits of the prize before a game when the Giants played the heavily-favored Bills in Super Bowl XXV.

“Our [Giants] team went to Tampa to beat Buffalo, we didn’t go to Tampa to win the Super Bowl,” Groh said. “I think the other team [the Bills] came there to win the Super Bowl. Whether that little difference in attitude kept them from winning, I don’t know, but . . .

“We just told our players, ‘Just beat these guys and you’ll find out something you really like is going to happen,’ ” Groh went on. “We thought about that instead of, ‘Whoa, what if we beat these guys? We get trophies and rings and get to go to Disney World.’

“That’s been my approach to every game. I understand the best way to accomplish [goals] is to keep our eyes on the target, just coach team, beat Oakland.”

Vinny Testaverde said the playoffs are on his mind right now.

“I’ve heard and read about other coaches forbidding the team from using the ‘P’ word, but this is what you’re playing for,” he said. “You’re playing for the playoffs. In order to get there you have to take care of immediate business, and for us that’s beating the Raiders.

“The ultimate goal is to get to the playoffs and if you try to pretend it’s not there, it becomes a distraction for you. We’ve talked about [the playoffs] for weeks. Even back when we struggled, it was always our goal.”

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Groh called Leon Johnson “better,” though he wouldn’t commit to saying Johnson will play. Figure on him being in uniform Sunday night, because time is running out.

“I think it’s important that [Johnson] sees this is not a stick-your-toe-in-the-water deal,” Groh said. “With many players who deal with that type of injury there’s always an issue of regaining confidence. It really pretty much will take a game, but obviously I have to make a decision before I see him in the game.”